Standpipes for water supply systems



April 25, 1967 N. c. LIEN STANDPIPES FOR WATER SUPPLY SYSTE MS FiledJune 22, 1965 INVENTOR N El L C. LIEN ATTORNEY United States Patent()fiFice 3,315,565 Patented Apr. 25, 1967 3,315,605 STANDPIPES FOR WATERSUPPLY SYSTEMS Neil C. Lien, Evansville, Wis., assignor to BakerManufacturing Company, Evansville, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin FiledJune 22, 1965, Ser. No. 465,931 1 Claim. '(Cl. 103-6) This inventionrelates generally to improvements in fluid system components and moreparticularly to improvements in standpipes of the type housing pressuresensing elements for controlling the operation of the pump motor inwater supply systems.

As disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,165,070, issued January 12, 1965,external standpipes, that is, standpipes not in the well casing, of thetype for housing pressure sensing elements may be provided with an airfitting for supplying air, when needed to the pressure tank of thesystem. Said patent teaches an air fitting which is in communicationwith the central passage of the standpipe and which is connected by arigid tube within the standpipe casing to an air valve preferablymounted near the top of the standpipe casing. Thus, air may be suppliedto the pressure tank as needed by simply attaching an air pressuresupply hose to the air valve.

My invention relates to improvements in standpipes of the general typedisclosed in the above noted patent; however, my invention is notlimited to the specific standpipe shown and described therein.

It is a primary object of my invention to provide a new standpipe of thetype for housing pressure sensing elements for controlling the operationof the pump motor in a water supply system wherein the standpipe isprovided with simplified and improved means for supplying air to thepressure tank in the system.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improvedstandpipe which provides for air charging of the pressure tank by meansof a check valve opening into the water line of the water supply system.

Another object of my invention is to provide a standpipe of the type ofhousing pressure sensing elements for controlling the operation of thepump motor of a water supply system wherein the standpipe is designed topermit air pressure in the standpipe casing to force any water standingtherein as a result of assembly of the unit to be forced into the waterline.

Another object of my invention is to provide a standpipe of the type forhousing pressure sensing elements for controlling the operation of themotor of a water supply system wherein the standpipe is designed topermit the standpipe casing to be under pressure so as to prevent anycontaminated water from leaking into the casing.

Other objects, features and advantages of my invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings showing an embodiment exemplifying the principlesof my invention.

In the drawings:

The figure is a vertical partial section view of an external standpipe.

The figure shows my new and improved standpipe assembly generally at inconnection with a discharge pipe 11 through which water is supplied fromthe well casing fitting (not shown) to the pressure tank (not shown) ina typical water supply system. The water supply system typically has apump which is driven by an electric motor.

Standpipe assembly 10 comprises a T-joint 12 connected into dischargepipe 11 as shown in FIG. 1. A coupling 13 is threaded onto the stemportion 14 of T- joint 12 and supports a standpipe casing 15 which isthreaded into the top end of coupling 13. The top of standpipe casing 15is closed by a cap 16 threaded thereon.

A pressure switch 17 of well known construction is mounted on cap 16 bygasketed lock nut 18 and adapter 19 and is connected to the motor (notshown) of the water supply system by electrical wires 20 for controllingthe operation of the motor in a conventional manner.

The standpipe casing 15 forms a fluid-tight housing for the pressuresensing device designated generally at 21 which signals the pressureswitch 17 of changes in Water pressure in discharge pipe 11. The waterpressure is transmitted to the rigid pipe 22 of the pressure sensingdevice 21, which is located below the frost line. The changing waterpressure causes the enclosed flexible fluid retainer tube 23 to contractand expand. The fluid -retainer tube 23 is connected to the pressureswitch 17 by a capillary tube 24. The fluid retainer tube 23 andcapillary tube 24 are filled with a non-toxic liquid which will notsolidify at freezing temperatures. As the fluid retainer tube 23contracts and expands with changing water pressures, the increasing anddecreasing pressures are transmitted to the pressure switch 17 by thenontoxic, non-freezing liquid through the capillary tube 24. The controlsystem is adjusted so that when the water pressure in the waterdischarge pipe 11 drops to a certain predetermined level, the pressureswitch 17 is actuated, causing the pump motor to start. As the pressuretank of the water supply system is filled and the water pressure in thetank and discharge pipe 11 increases, the fluid retainer tube 23 iscompressed and the increased pressure is transmitted to the pressureswitch 17. When the pressure reaches a certain predetermined higherlevel, the pressure switch 17 shuts off the pump motor and the cycle isrepeated.

A connector, shown generally at 25, provides a quick and easy means ofconnecting and disconnecting the motor control pressure sensing device21 within the standpipe casing 15. The connector 25 provides afluid-tight conduit between lower terminal passage 26 which is incommunication with water discharge pipe 11 and an upper terminal passage27 provided by rigid pipe 22. The connector 25 has a socket member 28which has a base end 29 which may be threaded into the top of a coupling30, which in turn is threaded into the internal threads on the stemportion 14 of T-joint, so as to be in communication with lower terminalpassage 26 and discharge pipe 11. Starting at the month end 31 of socketmember 28, a socket 32 extends downwardly to a bottom 33. The socketmember 28 may have a tapered mouth 34 as shown. An annular channel 35extends around the socket 32 approximately midway along its length. Thesocket 32 is otherwise cylindrical, except that it may be conical at thebottom 33 to facilitate machining. The channel 35 is connected to thelower terminal passage 26 by means of interconnected passages 36extending upwardly through the socket member 28 from its base end 29.Connector 25 is provided with a plug member 37 with a downwardlyextending plug portion 38. The plug portion 38 may be withdrawablyinserted within the socket 32. The plug member 37 has a tapered shoulder39 which mates with the tapered mouth 34 of socket member 28. Thetapered mouth 34 is, thus, the surface which directly supports the plugmember 37 and connected components. The diametrical clearance betweenthe plug portion 38 and the cylindrical wall of socket 32 may be fromabout to about of an inch. Upper and lower O-rings 40 and 41 ofresilient material provide fluid-tight seals above and below channel 35.The channel 35 may have tapered upper and lower edges which with thetapered mouth 34, prevent damage to O-rlngs 40 and 41 when the plugportion 38 is inserted into or Withdrawn [from the socket 32. The plugportion 38 preferably has a tapered end to facilitate its entry into thesocket 32. A

center passage 42 extends from the end 43 of the plug member 37 into theplug portion 38 to the radial passage 44 which communicates with channel35. Preferably, the sizes of one or more of the passages 36, 42 and 44are chosen small enough to serve as a pressure-shock 'dar'npe'ne'r toreduce the transmission of sudden changes of pressure from the lowerterminal passage 26 to the upper terminal passage 27.

It is desirable that the socket member 28 have a pressurerelief hole 45located below the lower O-ring 41, 'as shown, to prevent the plug member37 from blowing out if the lower O-ring 41 should leak. The pressure-relief hole 45 extends through the socket member 28in supply system asneeded, for providing air pressure within standpipe casing 15 forpreventing contaminated water from leaking into the casing and forforcing water which may be standing in the casing as a result ofassembly of the standpipe, into the water discharge pipe.

As seen in FIG. 1, a check valve 46 assembly having a 7 ball portion 48made of resilient material such as rubber, or the like is positioned ina hole 47 which is drilled into plug member 37 so as to be incommunication with'cen-' tral passage 42. Ball portion 48 is maintainedin hole 47' by a plug portion 52 of valve assembly 46 which is threadedinto plug member 37. Valve assembly 46 has a'bore 49 therein extendinginto the resilient ball portion 48. Aslit 50 is cut into the side ofballportion 48 so as to communicate with the bore 49. i

While, the preferred form of a check valve assembly is shown at 46, itis understood that other suitable check valves may be employed, such as,for example, a conventional spring-biased ball check valve may beutilized. 7 A conventional air valve 51 is preferably mounted in cap 16,as shown. V

In use, air may be supplied to the pressure tank of a water supplysystem by simply attaching an air pressure supply hose to the air valve51. The airtight chamber 53 formed by standpipe casing 15 provides apressure chamber for the passage of air from valve 51 down to checkvalve 46. When air is pumped into chamber 53 in casing 15 through airvalve 51, the increased pressure in bore 49 of valve 46 causes resilientball portion 48 thereof to expand and allows air to pass outwardlythrough slit 50 into hole 47, central passage 42, radial passage 44,channel 35, passages 36, terminal passage 26 in T-joint 12, waterdischarge pipe 11, and hence, into the pressure tank of the water supplysystem. When the air pump is removed the pressure in hole 47 and thenatural resiliency of ball portion 48 cause the slit 50 to be closed.

In the past, the chamber formed by the casing of a typical standpipe wasordinarily maintained at atmospheric pressure and air was supplied tothe pressure tank of the water supply system through a valve such as 51shown in FIG. 1, by a rigid pipe which was connected into an air fittingin a connector such as 25. Thus, there was no coma munication betweenthe chamber formed by the standpipe I casing and the waterdischargepipe.

By providing a means for imparting an increased pressure in standpipecasing 15 which is greater than the atmospheric pressure which wasprovided in such standpipe casings in the past, I prevent anycontaminated water, from leaking into the standpipe casing 15 becausethe pressure on the inside of the casing is greaterthan the pressure:

on the outside. Furthermore, it is apparent that by providing a chamber53whichis under pressure andwhich is placed in communication with waterdischarge pipe 11 through a check valve 46, any water which may bestanding in chamber'53 as a result of assembly of the unit will beforced out of the standpipe into the' water discharge pipe 11. 7

It is understood'that my invention is not confined to the particularconstruction and arrangement of parts'herein illustrated and described,but embraces all such modified forms thereof as may come within thescopeof the following claim.

I claim: 7 V

In a water supply system having a pressure tank, pump for supplyingwater to said pressuretank, a motor for driving said pump, and apressure switch for control- 1mg the operation of said motor, theimprovement cornprising:

(a) a device for sensing the pressure in the pressure tank-of said Watersupply system and for controlling the operation of said pressure switch,(b) casing means forming a substantially fluid tight chamber about saidpressure sensing device,

(c) an air valve mounted on said casing means it)! introducing air intosaid chamber, and ((1) a check valve mounted on said pressure sensing device within said casing means for permitting the passage of air fromsaid chamber through said pressure sensing device into the pressure tankof said water supply system and for blocking passage from said pressuretank into said chamber.

References Cited by theExaminer Wilson 137 '2o9 DONLEY J. STOCKING,Primary Examiner. W. L. FREEH, Assistant Examiner.

